20.7.04
--- Des Long, Vice President Republican Sinn Féin
July 16, 2004
US WRONG
Republican Sinn Féin has accused the US State Department of joining forces with the 26 and 6 County Administrations and the British Government to silence any political opposition to the failed Stormont Agreement.
RSF vice-president Des Long said today that the latest attempt to demonise Republican Sinn Féin is the linking of the party with the banned CIRA by the US State Department.
"This latest onslaught by the State Department describes the 'Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) also known as Continuity Army Council, also known as Republican Sinn Fein, as a foreign terrorist organisation', but everyone in Ireland knows that RSF is a political party," said Mr. Long.
"This is yet another attempt to demonise Republican Sinn Féin simply because we continue to oppose the failed Stormont Agreement because it will not bring a real and lasting peace to Ireland.
"The US State Department is the latest example of the type of smear that RSF has had to suffer - this is 'a new style McCarthyism' where all of us who oppose British rule in Ireland are now called terrorists.
"The designation is based on yet more flawed intelligence and is an indication of how those in power can abuse their positions and claim to be acting on behalf of the people when all they are doing is lying to those who elected them.
"Republican Sinn Féin is a political party and we oppose politically the British presence in Ireland and we shall continue to oppose the failed Stormont Agreement because it does not address the real cause of conflict in our country and that is the British presence.
"This attack on RSF is simply George Bush paying back his pal Tony Blair but we can tell them that the people of Ireland shall never give up the age old demand for a united Ireland free of foreign occupation."
July 16, 2004
US WRONG
Republican Sinn Féin has accused the US State Department of joining forces with the 26 and 6 County Administrations and the British Government to silence any political opposition to the failed Stormont Agreement.
RSF vice-president Des Long said today that the latest attempt to demonise Republican Sinn Féin is the linking of the party with the banned CIRA by the US State Department.
"This latest onslaught by the State Department describes the 'Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) also known as Continuity Army Council, also known as Republican Sinn Fein, as a foreign terrorist organisation', but everyone in Ireland knows that RSF is a political party," said Mr. Long.
"This is yet another attempt to demonise Republican Sinn Féin simply because we continue to oppose the failed Stormont Agreement because it will not bring a real and lasting peace to Ireland.
"The US State Department is the latest example of the type of smear that RSF has had to suffer - this is 'a new style McCarthyism' where all of us who oppose British rule in Ireland are now called terrorists.
"The designation is based on yet more flawed intelligence and is an indication of how those in power can abuse their positions and claim to be acting on behalf of the people when all they are doing is lying to those who elected them.
"Republican Sinn Féin is a political party and we oppose politically the British presence in Ireland and we shall continue to oppose the failed Stormont Agreement because it does not address the real cause of conflict in our country and that is the British presence.
"This attack on RSF is simply George Bush paying back his pal Tony Blair but we can tell them that the people of Ireland shall never give up the age old demand for a united Ireland free of foreign occupation."
